Pants creasing device



July 22, 1952 DINKEL PANTS CREASING DEVICE Filed Oct. 20, 1951 INVENTOR.WK? pin FIZZ Patented July 22, 1952 2,604,240 PANTS CREASING DEVICEFrank Dinkel, Leonardo, N. J. Application October 20, 1951, serial No.252,225

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to means for applying a crease to the legsof a pair of pants, and particularly to a pants creasing device.

The main object of my invention is to provide means for imparting freshcreases to the legs of a pair of pants without having to use a hot iron,ironing board or damp cloths and the like.

Another object is to provide a pants creasing device that is manuallyoperable in convenient manner, without the use of heat.

A further object is to have such a pants creasing device that isautomatically adjustable for various sizes of pants.

A yet further object is to have a pants creasing device made of a fewelongated metal rods or bars connected together to form a light andreadily handled construction that may be hidden away in a drawer orcloset when not in use.

It is likewise an object of the invention to have a pants creasingdevice of the character indicated that is portable and so simple in formand operation that it is not likely to get out of order, and isinstantly effective in use.

An object of the invention is also to provide such a pants creasingdevice that is relatively compact and reasonable in cost in order toencourage wide distribution.

A practical object is, of course to have a pants creasing device thatmay be used in multiple, one device for each pants leg, so that thepants in entirety will have the creases therein renewed simultaneously.

Other objects and the advantages of my in vention will appear in furtherdetail as the specification proceeds.

In order to facilitate ready comprehension of this invention for aproper appreciation of the salient features thereof, the invention isillustrated on the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pants creasing device made accordingto the invention and embodying the same in a practical form;

Figure 2 is a similar view of a pants creasing device when inserted inthe leg of a pair of pants and adjusted to produce a crease therein inapproved manner; and

Figure 3 is a vertical section of part of the device taken on line 3--3in Figure 2.

In these views, the same reference numerals indicate the same or likeparts.

It is a matter of common knowledge that in order to maintain pants andtrousers in good condition and present a proper pressed appearance, itis necessary to press these garments frequently by means of a pressingiron through a damp towel or cloth, naturally using also an ironingboard or the equivalent. This often constitutes a deterrent or anexpense that is all too frequently a cause of neglect, so that garmentsmany times go without pressing. The pressing of the pants thus becomes achore and certainly no convenience, and is only occasionally resortedto, whereas the garments involved should always be pressed or creasedproperly to present a well dressed appearance as though they were newgarments.

Upon considering this problem, it has occurred to me that it should bepossible to provide pants with a simple device that will crease bothlegs from within while the pants are not actually in use, as, forexample when lying in a trunk or drawer or hanging in a closet, etc. Asa result, I have succeeded in producing a manually operated pantscreasing device along the lines already referred to as will now be setforth in detail in the following.

Hence, in the practice of my invention, and

referring also again to the drawing, the pants creasing device primarilyincludes a substantially straight center bar 4 of metal or stiff plasticprovided upon the ends thereof with suspension loops 5, 6 by which thedevice may be suspended from a hook. Of course, only one loop may beused while the other is omitted, if desired. A short distance from theupper end or loop, a

cross piece 1 is fixed upon the bar with two links 8 and 9 pivotallyconnected to the opposite ends of this cross piece by pivot pins orrivets Ill and H. To the outerends of the links are pivotally connectedanother pair of links l2 and [3 by pins or rivets I 4 and I5, the otherends of the latter links being pivotally connected to the opposite endsof a sliding cross piece ll by further pins or rivets l8 and [9.

The last mentioned cross piece is longitudinally slidable upon centerbar 4, but below loop 5 is fixed a stop collar 20 on bar 4 forming anupper limit for the cross piece l1. It may be noted that thecross pieces1 and I! together with links 8, 9 and l2, l3 virtually form a togglesystem that widens when the sliding cross piece I1 is caused to descendtoward stationary cross piece I, but becomes narrow as seen in Figure 1when the sliding cross piece is slid upward toward stop 20. This stopand the stationary cross piece together confine the sliding cross pieceto a limited movement on bar 4.

To the outer ends of the four links 8, 9, l2 and I3 are also connectedthe upper ends of two long links or creasing members 2| and 22 that aresubstantially parallel with bar 4,

although such relationship may be altered by difierent movement ofmembers 2| and 22, as will be seen later on. At the lower ends, theselinks 2| and 22 are pivotally connected to the outer ends of a furtherpair of relatively short links 23 and 24 by pins or rivets 25 and 26.These shorter links at their inner ends are pivotally connected to theopposite ends of a second slidable cross piece 2'! limited in movementalong bar 4 by stop collars 28 and 29 fixed predetermined distance apartto allow the short links 23 and 24 to be brought upward in order tospread the lower ends of links or creasing members 2| and 22 to theextent desired. These.

lower ends are connected by pins or rivets 30 and 3| to the cross piece21 to be responsive to sliding movements of this cross piece alongcenter bar 4. It is evident that when the upper 4 sist downward movementof the cross piece toward stop 29, thus retaining the creasing memberspressing outwardly within the pants leg 32. I edges 34 and are dampenedby a Wet cloth for a moment and the pants than left tensed until theyare to be used, a definite crease will be provided at both edges 34 and35. The device is released by pulling upon binding members and 45.

Manifestly, variations may be resorted to and parts and features may bemodified or used without others within the scope of the appended claims.

toggle system is widened as previously mentioned,

the upper ends of creasing members 2| and 22 are spread apart, but whenbrought together, the system will bringthe two. creasing memberscorrespondingly together.

Thus, when the device isthrust into. a pants leg 32 so that the togglelinks 8,. 9,; l2. and H are disposed externally of the collar 33thereof, bringing the cross piece |9. manually down toward this collaror cufi .33 will naturally spread the upperends of the creasing links 2|and 22 apart until they. bear sharply against the inside of the leg 32to form a sharp crease 34at .one sideand anotherv crease 35 at theoppositeside oredge. In'SimiIar'manner, the .Wider portion 36of the legis accommodated by bringing up the slidable cross .piece 2'l. tospreadthe lower ends of members. 2|fand 22 untilthey sharplyform the lowerportions of the. creases 34.and. 35-so that these creases areuniformly.sharp'along. their entire extent.

However, in order .to retain the slidable cross pieces in attainedpositions along bar 4, the upper. cross piece has a lug 31" extendingupwardly andprovidedwith a pair .of ,opposite side slots 01'. recesses.33, 3,9,,with a wedge or binding member 40' partly surrounding bar .4vandterminating beyon'dthe same in a pair of ,opposed lugs 4|interfittting loosely with recesses 38- and 39. The result is that whencross piece I! is moved upwardly, binding member .tendsto bind againstbar 4 to prevent such movement, but when the same cross piece .is drawndownwardly to spread members 2| and'ZZ-apart, the binding member 453merely slides loosely along bar 4 until movement is manuallydiscontinued, when the tendency of the pants material to-return themembers 2| and ,22 to original position causes the binding member togrip center bar 4 and retain the toggle system in spread apart attainedposition.

The lowercross piece 2'|- is similarly provided with a depending lug42,ha ving recesses 43 and 44, while a second binding member 45-surrounds a portion of bar 4 and terminates in the opposed lugs 46-loosely interfitting with recesses 43 and 44. Thus, when cross piece 21is drawn upwardly to spread the creasing members 2| and 22 apart,binding member 45 merely slides loosely along bar 4, butas soon asmovement is stopped, this binding member will bind against bar 4 and re-Having now fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A pants creasing device adapted to be inserted into the leg of a pairof pants, including an elongated center bar, a toggle system mountedupon one portion of the bar within one end thereof, said toggle systemincluding a cross piece fixed upon the center bar, a pair of-short linkspivotally connected to oppositesides of the'cross piece, a second pairof.short links pivotally connected to the outerireeends of the firstmentioned links, a slidablecross piecemounted upon the center bar. andpivotally connected to the inner ends of the second pair of links,thefixed cross piece forming. a stop for the slidable cross piece in onedirection, and a stop fixed uponsaid center bar between. said fixedcross piece and the end of said center bar to form a stopin the oppositedirection, a third pair of short links having an intermediate memberpivotally connected thereto and slidable, along-said barand spaced frcmsaid toggle system, a pair of elongated CIEaSH ing members connectedpivotally to the outer ends of said third pair of short links and to theouter portions of said toggle system upon opposite sides of said centerbar, and means for frictionally retaining the movableportion of. thetogglesystem and the intermediate member in attained. positions uponsaid center. bar in a spreadapart con,- dition of said elongated.creasing members.

2. A pants creasing deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the intermediatemember upon the center bar and the movable cross piece each have abinding member loosely connected theretoeffective to bind with thecenter bar in one direction each but loosely sliding along said centerbar in the opposite direction in each case.

3. A pants creasing device accordingto claim 2, wherein two stops forthe intermediate member are fixed on the center bar.

FRANK DINKEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 525,288 Saltsman Sept. 28, 1894FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 281,081 Great Britain Dec. 1,1927538,396 Germany Oct. 29, 1931'

